High-Voltage Piercing Connector With Long-Fiber Insulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing piercing connectors for high-voltage outdoor power grids are cumbersome to install and lack sufficient robustness and insulation, posing safety risks during installation, especially when dealing with thick cable insulations.
Innovation Solution
A piercing connector design featuring a thermoplastic material reinforced with long fibers, combined with a support structure and busbar assemblies, ensures stability and high electrical insulation, allowing single-person installation and safe operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional piercing connectors are used for high-voltage outdoor power grids, then electrical insulation capacity is improved, but installation complexity and operator safety risks worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is divided into modular components: an insulating body with integrated piercing element, separate busbar assemblies, and connection elements. This segmentation allows the piercing function to be integrated into a pre-assembled unit that maintains insulation throughout the piercing process, eliminating the need for operators to handle exposed conductors and reducing installation complexity while maintaining high voltage insulation capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating body serves as an intermediary structure that enables piercing through thick cable insulation without exposing operators to electrical hazards. The integrated design allows the piercing element to penetrate the insulation while the insulating body maintains electrical isolation, acting as a mediator between the piercing function and safety requirements.
2Strength
If robust piercing busbars are used to break through thick cable insulations, then piercing capability is improved, but device complexity and installation difficulty worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The piercing element is merged with the insulating body to form an integrated assembly. This combination allows the robust piercing capability to be achieved without requiring separate complex installation steps for the piercing element and insulator, as they are pre-assembled into a single unit that maintains insulation during piercing.
Solution Approach 2:
The insulating body is made from composite materials (such as reinforced polymers or ceramic-composite structures) that provide both the mechanical strength needed for piercing thick insulation and the electrical insulation properties required for high-voltage applications, combining multiple functions in a single material system.
3Ease of operation
If traditional installation procedures are used for medium voltage connectors, then ease of installation is improved, but operator safety and insulation protection worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The connector performs self-protection functions through its integrated design: the insulating body automatically maintains electrical isolation during the piercing operation, and the pre-assembled nature of the connector eliminates the need for operators to manually handle exposed conductors or perform separate insulation restoration steps, making the safe installation procedure self-evident and self-executing.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to electrical connectors, in addition to materials and electrical insulating apparatus. More particularly, the present invention is related to electrical piercing connectors endowed with high piercing and electrical insulating capacity, applicable to voltages over IKV. In this scenario, the present invention provides a piercing connector, comprising (i) an upper busbar assembly, (ii) a lower busbar assembly, and (iii) at least one tightening means (30, 34) of the at least one upper busbar assembly against the at least one lower busbar assembly, wherein the at least one of an upper busbar assembly and lower busbar assembly comprises a support means (16) endowed with at least one opening (18) where at least one piercing means (20) is fixed. Moreover, the present invention also innovates through the pioneer use of a thermoplastic reinforced with long fibers as electrical insulation, in particular, coating the piercing connector mentioned above.